Breakfast

Since we live in Berlin and I don’t see my grandmothers on a regular base anymore – they live a good two hour drive away from Amsterdam -, we wanted to take it slowly this time and decided to spend the night in Zeeland at our favorite B&B: Frankrijk Noord. I have written about this place before, but can’t let this visit go by without mentioning. If only to show you this delicious breakfast, served in their wonderful common room. Daughter number two was sleeping in, that’s what the brine sea air will do to you.

Girls flying high

In the French sky

Oysters

Today we have a family outing with just the five of us. My parents have camped in Normandy just a couple of weeks before us and for my mums birthday they went to the town of Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue to eat some of their famous oysters. They have found a perfect little place just beside the harbor and since they’re so enthusiastic about it (and since we love oysters) we can’t help but visit.

After strolling around the village, having coffee in the harbor, picnicking with just baguette and camembert, we go down the harbor again to end the day with white wine and oysters. Whenever in Saint Vaast please visit the small Yellow oyster shop to pick a plate of their delicious oysters in whatever, they offer five different, size you like. The girls weren’t absolute fans of the oysters, but we definitely were. Writing this I’m wishing I was there again to order another plate.

Normandy

From the silent beaches in Zeeland we move to even quieter ones in Normandy for a family vacation with the in-laws. We found a fantastic house in the middle of the dunes near Saint-Germain-sur-Ay, again with an enclosed garden so all six little girls and the dog can run and climb around as they please. It’s just a small fence separating us from the beach. The weather in Normandy, at least in this time of year, is not the kind that you can lay down on the beach and enjoy the sun, you’ll simply just be blown away, but is perfect for beach walks, building sandcastles, searching for sea snails or afternoon dips.

Bye Frankrijk Noord

It’s our last day again in Zeeland. Last bulky breakfast made by Lille. Last time playing and rolling on the meadow after this breakfast. Last time taking the wagon full of girls for a walk on the beach. Last time watching the chickens in the orchard. 

Oma and Opa came down, with our sweet little niece, to join us for this last beautiful day abd a last quiet walk on the silent beach.

Until we meet again :-)

Beach

Zeeland has the best beaches in the whole of the Netherlands, at least I think so. We picked the week just before summer break starts, which means the beaches are almost empty. The B&B is just around the corner from the beach and the ladies who run it also have a small beach house which is available to use for their guests as well. Therefore we spend our first day laying and playing on the beach of Westkapelle. Only to move to the beach of Domburg at the end of the day for an evening stroll along the dunes, having dinner at  ‘het Badpaviljoen’ – the only place we have found so far that serves the ‘krukels’ (small sea snails) our eldest loves to eat – and ending the day with ice cream on the empty beach.

Warm Welcome

We’re staying a couple of days in our favorite Bed & Breakfast ever: Frankrijk Noord in Westkapelle. Arriving and finding homemade ice cold Elderflower Lemonade, we immediately feel at home again at Lille and Edith’s magnificent place.

Frankrijk Noord is situated in the barn of an old farm. Four beautifully renovated apartments and a huge common room, with a fully equipped kitchen, where a delicious breakfast is served every morning with among others fresh eggs from their own chickens. What is so perfect for our family is that there is a huge enclosed garden surrounding the farm, so both girls and the dog can run around freely.

Madrid

Our yearly weekend break without the kids. Last year we went to Rotterdam and had a great time (definitely going back someday), this year we are invited to a wedding in Madrid on the same day we have our own four year anniversary. Normally I’m eager to explore new things in a city, but this time we visit a lot of places we have been to three years ago. This time it is about being together - and about food of course.

Having Breakfast on the upper floor of crowded La Mallorquina in between elderly Spanish ladies and gents. Oyster and wine at Mercado de san Anton, Jamon and Cerveza at Mercado de san Miguel. Late night supper at the roof top terrace of Gau Café. – this was a new spot for me but more than worth visiting again someday overlooking the roofs of Madrid - Middle of the night cocktails on top of the Oskar. This all spread over two days of course. At the end of the second day we attended a real Spanish wedding starting in a little church in the hills at six pm, ending at a horse farm at 6 am. It took us about a week to recover but it was definitely worth it.

Terschelling

First time for more than 1 night away since the twins were born. Last time to see my high school girlfriends before we're going. In our busy lives with our children, work and men we decided a few months ago to take a break together and go to Terschelling, one of the islands in the Waddenzee where we also have been a long long time ago when we were 16 and oblivious. A tour down memory lane. Nice, but omg it makes you feel old walking into the disco's your were so long ago, out of season so nobody there besides some locals hanging at the bar being pretty drunk.

Besides the trip down memory lane we bike around and walk along the beach. What we didn't really notices last time we were here is that this really is an amazingly beautiful island. Lots of space to bike, lots of nature, hardly any cars and cute little farms everywhere. Really worthwhile visiting when you have the change. Only downside is that you have to take the ferry and that this doesn't go on a really regular basis. But furthermore it has everything you need to take a break for a couple of days: bike rentals, restaurants, nice places to stay the night, like Jan van Tjaard where we were and really nice beach bars like 'De Walvis', 'Kaap Hoorn' and 'De Zandzeebar'.

Eastbourne

When you don't mind the elderly Eastbourne is a lovely place to spend a day. After a couple of hectic days in London at a wedding we have one spare day before travelling back to Amsterdam and decide to spend it near the South Coast of the UK. Inittially the plan was to stay in Brighton, but since it's the first of May it's very hard to find an affordable place to sleep at the last moment.We end up at the Best Western hotel that's more like a retirement home, which is kind of an experience on it's own, travelling back in time. The girls shake up the breakfast room the next morning, but all the grey heads are woken up afterwards.

Eastbournes Pier gives the same experience: back in time, but so nice. We've had a full English breakfast, but some day I will definately be back for a high tea on Eastbournes Pier! Or a fresh fish from the Friendly Fisherman at the end of the Pier.

El Jardin Secreto

After a couple of days of eating tapas, we were craving for a lot of vege. Or anyway, I was. El Jardin Secreto is a lovely and cozy place especially known for all their different hot chocolates and chocolaty deserts, but we're very happy with their salads and burgers. Also lovely is the wide range of non-alcoholic drinks, among which violet drink. They dress their meals and drinks with flowers as if it is a real garden. Specially a good place for a romantic being together.

Cathedral of Madrid

A good place to flee the city and have a moment of peace and quiet for a little while. If you don't mind the horde of tourists.

The Beautiful city of Gubbio

Never been there before, never heard of it, but really worth a visit. Build onto the mountain in several terraces, overlooking the surrounding area, it's just magnificent view. When visited at nighttime, for a stroll after dinner, it's like walking through an Italian film set.

Agriturismo ca Vecia

After the touristy business at Lago di Garda, we searched for a quieter place to say in the mountains surrounding the lake and found agriturismo ca'vecia. 

A lovely host who makes you feel welcome, a garden for the guests to use, dog friendly, no tourists but Italian. So lovely we decided to stay an extra night. Didn't even go out for dinner, just went to the local supermarket for some grilled fish, veg, bread and wine. Ate it at one of their outside tables, with a view at the surrounding vineyards. 

Punta san Vigilio

Supposedly one of Lady Di's favorite places for a holiday. The super deluxe hotel was a bit out of our budget, but anyone can drink a coffee at the little restaurant at the sea. Beautiful view at the lake, wonderful homemade cookie with the coffee, so also ordered the home made raspberry pie, hmmmmmm.

It really is a great place to escape the otherwise in this time of year extremely touristic Lago di Garda.

Chateau Peroudier

The Dordogne area is a very good place if you like to make a tour along some wine growers. We decided to start our tour at a neighboring castle to learn about the wines of the area. This area is mainly known for their white wines and especially the ones with a sweet bite that taste very good with a light lunch. From there out we just drove around looking for other wineries and visited four others, just by following the signs along the road.   

First of those was Chateau Paroudier. Bit of cranky, but nice and very bearded men stumbles down the stairs. Sleep wrinkles in his face. Stupid tourists come during siesta :) Bought some lovely bubbles from him to drink the same evening. His reds are in my wine rack. In the end we made his teeth smile.

La Queyrie

Escaping town for a wonderful sunny week with my little girl and some lovely friends in the most beautiful old farm in the whole of France: La Queyrie near the town of Sainte Alvère. In the middle of nowhere, on the top of a hill, swimming pool with a view down the hill...what else do you need.

Still sometimes dream of our days at La Queyrie, with her big walnut tree which gave us shade as we needed it, with her big fireplace where we played games on the one rainy day, with the lovely boulanger who provided us with fresh croissants every day. We'll be back!